Going Back Hometown

   As a person who rarely come home, once I go back is one thing I should spend in good way. Being in different temperature place than my current city now, Balikpapan this body begins to adapt again. I use to sleep using no blanket, while at home I'll be using it the whole day.
Taking the mid day flight to Jogjakarta on second week of April, I continue the journey after by using a bus to Magelang city and take another ride home. What a loong long journey to go on. I was sitting uncalmly in the bus when my cousin offer me to go with her on motor ride and I just agreed. And here it is the wet motor riding from Magelang to our home, Grabag due to hard rain. We enjoy it so much, getting soaked by the rain and ride the motor peacefully.
Spending three days at home, having too many things to do I almost not having much time at home. Attending wedding, going out here and there and taking pictures around the village were the happy things I could do back then. Going to the rice field with my cousin, Gilang we had a nice time going around the village and eat many food we couldnt get in the city.
Our hometown, Grabag is a district in the eastern area of Magelang Regency which surrounding the city. Mostly, the people work as farmer but now they aren't just farming but working in many areas. Here are the pictures I took during the long weekend am coming home.

Balikpapan from the height

hai granny

halo abaang~~

when green greets the morning dew

typical view in hometown

the loggs

mountain view, isn't it beautiful?

cheers

human interaction in the kitchen

from cafe ala ala in my Grabag district

Hussain going to school

when the sun about to go up

making expression

the "budhe"

mom and dad

See you again,

Cheers,

Travelanggi

Travelanggi Spiritual Journey

Banyak masalah dan hal - hal yang melelahkan terjadi akhir akhir ini, pergi dalam sebuah perjalanan spiritual adalah salah satu cara penyelesaian yang lebih baik. Menggunakan jasa agen travel aku memutuskan untuk umrah untuk pertama kali. Ini adalah pengalaman pertama dan waktu yang kupunya terbatas jadilah aku pergi tanpa backpackeran seperti biasa. Paket perjalanan selama sembilan hari ini termasuk tujuh hari di Saudi dan dua hari untuk perjalanan.

Being in a difficult situation and already tired of what happened lately in my life going on a spiritual journey is one of the way to get better. Joining a travel agent, I decided to go performing my umrah journey for the first time. It's gonna be my first experience and I'm running out of time so I don't go backpacking there. I join the 9 days trip which requires me to spend seven days there and two days for the moving. Here are the itineraries being done during my journey there.

Hello Saudi Arabia

Day 1  ( Wednesday, March 15th 2017)
Hari pertama hanya tentang pindah lokasi penerbangan dari Balikpapan ke Jakarta. Aku dan Arum datang paling awal, yaiyalah kecepetan lima jam hahaha. Menunggu rombongan untuk kumpul akhirnya makan lagi dan lagi di Foof Cetera terus pindah ke Blue Sky Lounge. Aktivitas hari ini melulu hanya soal penerbangan satu ke lainnya.

First day is all about my flight from Balikpapan to Jakarta. Me and Arum arrived way earlier than others. Waiting for the group to gather while eating and eating over again in Food Cetera then move to Blue Sky Lounge. Today's activities are mostly about taking flights and moving one to another flights.

one fine day in Mecca

Day 2  (Thursday, March 16th 2017)
Tiba di Abu Dhabi untuk transit sebelum ke Jeddah, aku mulai jengkel karena beberapa orang di rombongan.Kami mulai persiapan umrah di Jeddah dan ambil miqat (niat umrah) di dalam bus selama perjalanan kami ke Mekkah. Ga henti hentinya "gumun" dengan kontur alam Saudi yang jauh berbeda dengan negara sendiri.

Arrived in Abu Dhabi and having our two hours transit before catching the flight to Jeddah, I started to get annoyed to some people in the group. Starting our umrah preparation in Jeddah and we're taking our miqat ( umrah intention) inside the bus on our way to Mecca. Can't help myself wondering when I see the land contour of Saudi Arabia, so different from my home country.

 

Kami menuju Mekkah dalam perjalanan selama satu jam untuk umrah pertama. Pembagian kamar dan bongkar koper di hotel kemudian ke masjid, hati ini mulai berkecamuk rasanya, bahagia, penuh malu, kagum menyaksikan bangunan itu untuk pertama kali. Akhirnya aku, makhluk yang penuh dosa ini menatap Ka'bah untuk pertama kalinya. Mengitari Ka'bah sembari menggumamkan doa - doa, beberapa mamak mamak Turkey berpegangan dan memelukku dari samping sembari melakukan tawaf ( gerakan mengitari Ka'bah dalam rangkaian umrah). Aku berdiri di samping mereka menjaga barisan agar orang orang tidak asal menabrak. Umroh pertama kali kami selesai dan akhirnya aku bisa menangis untuk pertama kalinya. Tapi foto di bawah ini bukan foto ketika kami pertama umrah.

We go on one hour journey to Mecca to perform our first umrah. Dropping off the baggage in the hotel and go to mosque right after, my heart started to have mix feeling, happy, shameful, amazed seeing the building for the first time. I finally see Kaaba for the first time, the sinful me. Going around and saying some prayer while several Turkish moms holding me tight while going around. I just standing beside them to keep people going in the direction they should.
We finish our first umrah and I can cry for a bit finally. But this image below was when we first going around Kaaba.

Day 3  ( Friday, March 17th 2017)

Agenda hari ini bebas, kami bisa pergi kemana saja atau pergi ke masjid untuk ibadah. Agenda pertama setelah bangun tidur adalah mendekat ke Ka'bah. Untuk umat Muslim Ka'bah adalah kiblat ( arah menghadap ketika ibadah) setiap menunaikan shalat kami mencari arah kiblat yang benar. Tetapi ketika berada di Masjidil Haram, masjid dimana Ka'bah berada kami hanya perlu menghadapnya dari berbagai arah. Kesempatan pertama menyentuh Ka'bah aku menangis tak henti ingat betapa banyaknya dosa yang sudah kulakukan dan banyak hal yang terjadi akhir - akhir ini. Saudi Arabia adalah negara kelima yang kukunjungi dan akan jadi yang paling penting karena ini tujuan religi.

Our agenda today is free, we can go out wherever or going out to the mosque for praying. Our first agenda after waking up was trying to approach Kaaba. For moslem Kaaba is qibla (the center of every prayer) when we perform salah we always try to find the direction to Kaaba. But when we are in Masjidil Haram, the mosque where Kaaba is we just need to face it directly from every direction. The first chance to touch it and I cry nonstop while standing there remembering how sinful I am and many things had happened recently. Saudi Arabia is the fifth country I visit already and it’s going to be the most important trip since its a spiritual trip.

Kaaba in a cloudy and dusty time

Aku mendapat kesempatan untuk shalat langsung menghadap Ka'bah hingga azkar (penjaga) menyuruh kami perempuan untuk pindah ke sisi dalam masjid. Kami mengambil resiko untuk posisi sholat dan akhirnya dapat tempat di dekat tempat zamzam untuk shalat Jumat. Ada mamak Turkey yang baik hati di sebelahku yang tak hentinya membagi cokelatnya padaku setiap beliau membuka kemasan makanan lagi. Dua jam yang berlangsung penuh derita bagiku waktu itu karena menahan pipis dan membuatku menangis kesakitan, nahan pipis sakitnya begini amat. Untung ada Arum yang menemaniku mencari toilet jauh di bagian luar masjid dan akhirnya aku ga ngompol di celana. Sisa agenda hari ini adalah ke masjid, jajan jajan dan jalan jalan di sekitaran area hotel.

I got the chance to pray in front of Kaaba until the azkar (guardian) told us women to move inside. We were gambling for the position and get the zamzam stall side to pray Jumah prayer. There's a kind Turkish mom who keep giving me chocholate everytime she's eating. It was two hours that suffer me who hold not to go to toilet and am crying really hard already. Thanks to Arum who accompany me to the toilet that faraway outside the mosque I don’t pee in my own pants then. The rest of today’s activities are going to mosque, buying some food and walking near hotel.

Day 4  ( Saturday, March 18th 2017)
Rutinitas ibadah seperti biasa, kami pergi ke masjid awal dan sebagainya. Tetapi hari ini kami ada acara tour keluar kota plus miqat untuk umrah kedua. Seharusnya kami ke peternakan unta dan museum Ka'bah jika mereka tidak tiba tiba tutup. Ah sedihnya udah jauh jauh tutup. Kami berkeliling kota Mekkah, mengunjungi Arafah di mana orang melakukan rangkaian ibadah Haji, menaiki Jabal Rahmah (dimana Nabi Adam dan Hawa bertemu pertama kalinya. Tempat ini terkenal untuk orang orang yang memohon dipertemukan dengan jodohnya, termasuk aku.) dan Jabal Tsur yang merupakan satu tempat bersejarah berkaitan dengan Nabi Muhammad SAW.

The routine for prayer just like usual, going early to pray in the mosque and so on. But today we have a tour outside the city plus miqat for the second umrah. We should’ve gone to the camel farm and Kaaba museum If they weren’t closed so suddenly. Ah, it’s sad. We go around near Mecca city, seeing Arafah where people use to perform Hajj, going up to Jabal Rahmah (where Adam and Eve met for the first time and this place is wellknown for people who's wanting to find her /his spouse to be) and Jabal Tsur, one of the historical place related to our prophet Muhammad SAW.

people going up to Jabal Rahmah, where Adam and Eve met for the first time

Hal yang menakutkan untukku adalah ketika masuk ke lift bersama pria asing sebelum kami pergi tour hari ini. Daripada daripada kan mending keluar secepatnya, menghindari hal yang tidak diinginkan. Kembali ke hotel setelah tour dan cuaca berangin kencang dan berdebu tebal di sekitar masjid.

Something that made me scared was when I entered elevator with strange men in the hotel before we're going to today's tour. I prefer to go out immadiately rather than having through unwanted things.
Coming back to the hotel and it's becoming windy and dusty around the mosque.

a dusty afternoon

Day 5 ( Sunday, March 19th 2017)
Hampir hari terakhir di Mekkah, aku dan teman teman sekamarku ingin mendekat ke Ka'bah sekali lagi. Kamipun pergi lebih awal daripada hari sebelumnya, 2.30 pagi kami mulai bergegas. Aku masih bareng Arum, Mbak Esi dan Bu'e ketika mulai bergerak mendekat. Tetapi setelah beberapa menit berkeliling aku terjebak di kerumunan dekat Hajar Aswad di salah satu sudut Ka'bah. Aku terjepit di tengah kerumunan sementara teman sekamarku aku tak tahu lagi cara untuk mendekat ke mereka karena tak terlihat lagi di depan mataku. Aku tak bisa keluar dari kerumunan ataupun mendekat ke Hajar Aswad "batu hitam" yang berada di timur. Aku masih santai dan biasa saja awalnya tapi mulai menangis kencang dan menjerit setelah orang orang tetap menimpaku, menyikut, menyodok, sekujur badan rasanya sakit karena orang berdesakan. Ukuran badanku tergolong kecil dibandingkan mereka, rasanya ga karuan. Aku ingin keluar tapi malah terjepit sekitar sejam di kerumunan itu.

It’s almost the last day to stay in Mecca, me and my roommates want to get closer to Kaaba for one more time. We go earlier than days before, it’s 2.30 a.m when we started moving. I was still with Arum, Mbak Esi and Bu’e, my rommates when we start. But after several minutes going around it I am trapped near Hajar Aswad location which is in one of the corner of Kaaba position. I am stuck in the middle of the crowd while my rommates I don’t know how to get closer to them again since they disappear out of my sight already.  I can’t go out or getting closer to Al-Ḥajaru al-Aswad, "the Black Stone", that is located on the Kaaba's eastern corner. I was calm at first but then crying hard and shouted since people keep hurting my body, neck, head and even the bump the body on my tiny body. I wanna get out but just being stuck for about one hour there.

Alhamdulillahnya ada seorang mas mas yang nolongin keluar dari kerumunan, di tengah keputus asaan dan kepasrahan cuma bisa menangis. Aku akhirnya bisa keluar dari kerumunan bersama salah satu temannya dan nangis kenceng saking bersyukurnya. Kami berdua mencari tempat air zamzam sambil menunggu rombongannya. Dunia rasanya sempit banget ketika tahu mbak mbak yang bisa keluar dari kerumunan bersamaku ternyata alumni SMA yang sama :") Si mbak cerita ternyata mereka adalah sekumpulan tentara Indonesia yang bertugas di Lebanon. Kami tak berbicara banyak setelahnya karena aku harus beribadah sembari mencari teman sekamar yang entah dimana. Bahkan aku ga ketemu masnya lagi buat ngucapin terimakasih. Pindah ke sisi lain masjid aku bertemu beberapa orang lainnya yang juga kepisah dari rombongan. I'm not alone :"> Bahkan ada seorang ibu ibu yang kuantar ke lokasi hotelnya karena takut kesasar, dan ibunya ngedoain semoga cepet ketemu jodoh. Diaminin banget bu ehehe. Sempat kepikiran gimana kalau pingsan atau mati terinjak di sana, ngerinya. Dan ketika umrah ketiga aku mulai sakit meskipun tetap bergabung setelahnya. My health is collapsing.

There’s an Indonesian guy who saved me from the crowd thank God. I could get out with his friend and cried out of grateful feeling for being able to get out. Both of us walking to zamzam stall while waiting for others. World seems so small when I found out that this person went to the same high school as me :”) She told me that they’re Indonesian soldies who’s on their duty in Lebanon. We don’t talk much more after because I need to do some prayer and looking for my roommates. And I don’t even meet that guy again to thank him. Moving to the other side of the mosque I met some more lost people during Subuh time, sent one of them to the hotel and go back to my hotel after. I keep on thinking how If I passed out or lost my life there. I perform umrah for the third time after some considerations eventhough I fall sick after what happened before. My health is collapsing.

Day 6 ( Monday, March 20th 2017)

Tawaf Wada (tawaf perpisahan sebagai rangkaian terakhir umrah) hari ini setelah ada kesempatan terakhir bagi yang masih ingin mendekat ke Ka'bah dan berdoa. Mulai sedih rasanya, ga mau banget ninggalin kota suci ini, ga mau pindah dan masih ingin di sini. Say goodbye ke kota Makkah dan pindah segera ke Madinah.
Setengah perjalanan kami berhenti di rest area. Sedang duduk bergerombol tiba tiba ada seorang bapak Turki nyamperin ngasih nametag. Dikira orang Malaysia hehehe keliatan mirip banget sih ya. Mencoba menemukan nametag ibu Malaysia ini tapi aku tak terlalu yakin. Kami tiba di Madinah malam hari, seremnya dapet kamar di pojok dan gelap. Ibadah pertama kami dimulai malam ini di sini. Madinah punya hawa yang berbeda dengan Mekkah, lebih tenang dan kondusif

.

Performing the Tawaf Wada (going around Kaaba as the last sequence for our umrah) today after we’re given last chance to approach Kaaba and pray. Sad feeling emerging on my lungs. I am sad of leaving this holy place, don’t wanna move and still wanna stay. Saying goodbye to Mecca and we’re moving to Medina after.
Half of the way we stopped in a rest area. I was sitting in group when suddenly a Turkish man gave me the lost nametag to me. He thought I was a Malaysian since we look the same. I try to find the owner in Medina but I wasn’t sure If I can found her.
We arrived in Medina at night, too bad we got a room in the corner and a little bit spooky. Well our first prayer started tonight here. Medina has different vibe from Mecca, it’s calmer and more condusive.

Nabawi mosque

Al Quran museum

Day 7 ( Tuesday, March 21st 2017)
Menikmati Madinah dengan suasana menyenangkannya, masuk keluar hotel dengan lebih nyaman. Agenda kami hari ini adalah ke Jabal Magnet dan lanjut ke Museum Al Quran karena tempat lain tutup. Malam ini kami ke Raudah berbarengan, jamaah laki laki dan perempuan dipisah di Nabawi. Raudah adalah salah satu tempat mustajab yang Allah kabulkan doa hambanya ketika dipanjatkan disana. Berjalan ke sekitar Madinah adalah hal yang paling menyenangkan.

Enjoying Medina as its finest, going in and out then coming back to hotel in more comfy way. We have a tour to Jabal Magnet today and continue the trip to Al Quran Museum since other places being closed. Tonight we’re going to Raudah together, we're being separated for men and women.  Raudah is one of the efficacious places where people’s wishes being granted as Allah promise. Walking around  Medina is one of the nicest thing.

Nabawi in afternoon

Day 8 ( Wednesday, March 22nd 2017)
Menghabiskan waktu di Madinah hanya dalam dua hari adalah hal yang menyedihkan. Aku masih tak ingin pergi, masih kurang sekali rasanya hanya dalam waktu sesingkat ini. Berjalan di sekitar Nabawi, jajan jajan dan jalan keliling pasti lebih menyenangkan kalau kami tinggal lebih lama. Pagi ini aku sengaja melihat payung Nabawi terbuka, ah bahagiaa. Tujuan tour kami hari ini adalah Jabal Nur, Jabal Uhud dan Kebun Kurma setelah mengunjungi Masjid Quba, masjid pertama yang dibangun Rasulullah.

Spending time in Medina for only two days is sad. I still want to stay more and enjoy the calm mood there. Walking around, eat several food and enjoy the area near Nabawi mosque will be nicer If we have more time. This morning I could enjoy the view of Nabawi mosque’s umbrella to open. We have a tour today to visit Jabal Nur, Jabal Uhud and Dates Field after visiting Quba Mosque, the first mosque that our prophet built.

Quba mosque

Satu persatu peserta tour mulai sakit, kondisi tubuh yang tidak siap dengan perbedaan iklim Saudi dan Indonesia adalah salah satu penyebabnya. Sunset terakhir yang kusaksikan di Madinah hari ini adalah salah satu alasan aku dan Arum memisahkan diri dari rombongan dan memilih untuk jalan sendiri berkeliling.

One by one the tour participants start to fall sick, our bodies aren’t ready for the different climate between Saudi and Indonesia. It’s the last sunset I’m going to see in Medina so I better walk around more and enjoy the city than joining the tour. I prefer to go around with Arum and just wandering around.

Day 9 ( Thursday, March 22nd 2017)

Harus pergi pagi pagi buta dan inilah akhir dari umrah pertamaku. Kami meninggalkan Madinah menuju Jeddah untuk city tour. Kalau boleh milih aku masih mending sedikit lebih lama di Madinah. Tujuan kami hari ini ke Masjid Terapung, makam makam, dan Laut Merah dimana Nabi Musa dulu membelah lautan. Menikmati kota Jeddah dalam beberapa jam sebelum penerbangan ke Abu Dhabi, well ini menyedihkan. Masih ga mau pulang banget ini mah. Waktu transit yang termasuk lama membuatku tak bisa hanya duduk dan tidur tiduran, kesempatan untuk makan dan mandi di bandara sementara yang lain tepar. Dan dalam 5 jam transit ini, aku dan Arum keliling keliling daripada cuma ndekem.

We have to leave early and the umrah trip reached the end already. We leave Medina and move to Jeddah for a city tour. I’d rather stay longer in Medina than Jeddah If I can choose. Our destinations for today are Floating Mosque, the tomb, and Red Sea where prophet Musa cut across the ocean. Enjoying the city of Jeddah for couple hours and ready to catch a flight to Abu Dhabi. Ah it’s sad, I don’t wanna go back this soon. The transit seem longer so it’s better eat and take shower in the airport while everyone’s still sleeping. And during our 5 hours waiting, I walked around the airport with Arum. Better than going nowhere and just sleep.

Red Sea

Day 10 (Friday, March 23rd 2017)
Akhirnya mendarat di Jakarta dan semua sudah berakhir. Semoga segera orangtua dan nenek bisa menyusul. Ketemu beberapa teman kuliah di bandara hahaha sempit aamat dunia

Now I landed safely in Jakarta, it’s really the end of this spiritual journey. Hope soon my parents and grandma could go there :”) I met several friends of mine in the airport hahaha small world really

Overall perjalanan spiritual berarti satu langkah besar yang kuharap bisa mengubahku ke arah kebaikan dan membuat hidup lebih baik, menjadikanku orang yang lebih baik dan bersyukur. Semoga Allah mengabulkan semua doa yang telah dipanjatkan di dua kota suci dan aku bisa kembali lagi kesana. Baek baek ya dompet yang udah dedel duel, semoga semua membaik segera. Amiin!

Overall spiritual journey means one big step I wish could change my life better after, turn me into better person and living a better life and become more grateful. May Allah grant all the wishes that were being said in two holy cities and I could come again :")) Be well dear crying wallet, hope everything get better in time.
Ameeen!

Cheers,

Travelanggi